End's Beginning
by Articulate Eloquence
Summary: "My lord, I'm glad that I became your retainer. It really is a pleasure serving you... I...I've loved you for a really long time. But it isn't at all proper for a subordinate to be having these feelings for a prince. We aren't at all a good match. So...I'll resign and you will see me no more." The story of Takumi and Oboro's relationship.
1. Yesterday I Died

**I wrote this for AO3 at first, but honestly the site was messing up my formatting so I gave up and started it over here instead. TakuObo fic, revolves around Oboro's childhood / perspective mainly, the theme for this story is " _what would have happened if Oboro confessed and Takumi didn't reciprocate_ ". Other characters and pairs may occasionally appear.**

 **Game spoilers and my grammar is terrible, you have been warned.**

* * *

[ FIVE ]

"You must be Oboro." The navy-haired girl, an orphan at only five years old, gazed sadly at the loving face in front of her. Her eyes welled with tears at the thought of her own mother, gone forever at the hands of a Nohrian assassin. They hadn't even done anything wrong -they were good people, so why them? Why her? The woman gave her a soft smile, stroking her tears away with gentle fingers. "Such a pretty name for a pretty girl. You mustn't let sadness overcome you -but right now, it's alright to cry if you feel pain."

Oboro spent a good half hour sobbing in the woman's arms, oblivious to the protests of the servants and soldiers around them. She cried until she felt even her parents from the heavens had heard her, until she felt there wasn't an ounce of liquid left inside her body. Once she stopped, she backed away shyly, missing the already familiar warmth of the woman's arms.

"Do you feel better now?" The woman asked, running her fingers through the girl's long, unruly hair softly. Oboro nodded, bashful all of the sudden. The woman stood up, holding her hand carefully in her own delicate ones. "You must have been so lonely, so scared." She said sadly, gazing into the distance longingly, "I know how it feels to lose a loved one."

Oboro peered at her curiously, wondering if she had also lost her parents. Her own parents had a kimono shop and catered towards much of the residents of Hoshido before they had been...gone. They were brilliant at what they did, famous, almost. They had even received requests from the royal family at times to personally tailor their clothes for them.

Oboro and her parents had been traveling in a wagon the night her parents were assassinated -they had gotten a request from a Nohrian living by the border, who coaxed them into going to hostile territory with beautiful woven words of praise and admiration. With knowledge of the still ongoing war, Oboro's parents had been slightly hesitant, even asking the royal family for permission before venturing across the border. The three had been on their way, about a day's worth of travel inside Nohr when they had been attacked. Oboro was quickly hidden behind rolls of handwoven fabric by her mother, before she witnessed the woman being struck down by a dark soldier on a midnight horse. Oboro had been struck with such fear, she hid in the wagon for nearly two entire days until royal Hoshidan guards had found her and brought her to the palace.

"I'm Mikoto, by the way." The woman suddenly said as they were walking, grinning down at her, "If you ever need anything, please just ask for me. I'll come running." She said, looking into the younger girl's eyes sincerely. Oboro turned her head away, nodding quickly to indicate that she had at least heard her words. She _had_ to be a bit cautious around her -she would never again bring herself to easily trust as her parents had. How could she? And Oboro still had no idea who this woman was -the minute soldiers had brought her to the palace, she had been greeted by Mikoto without any other sort of introduction. "I have an older daughter, but now she's too old to want to be showered with girly gifts by her mother." The woman continued, brushing off Oboro's silence and laughing at a fond memory. "You should have seen her face when I tried getting her to wear a dress!" She exclaimed, holding a hand to cover her lips demurely. "But my younger daughter, she's so quiet and obedient. You remind me a bit of her."

Oboro blinked silently, gripping the woman's hand a bit tighter. Was she being kidnapped? Why was this woman telling her all these things? Her anxiousness only increased as they walked deeper into the labyrinthine place. She had long forgotten which building they had come from and at that point lost all hope of ever finding her way out alone. "I have a son who's closer in age to you though." Mikoto continued, taking a sharp turn and gently herding the young girl with her. Oboro's eyes widened as she was led out of a dark room, her vision overwhelmed with the bright sun and the beautiful gardens that surrounded a sparkling pond full of lively koi fish. "He's a bit quiet and stubborn -but I think you two will get along." Mikoto stopped in front of a screen door, tapping twice before sliding it open.

"Takumi, are you busy?" She called in a singsong voice, leading the reluctant girl in. "There's someone I want you to meet." Oboro planted her feet at the edge of the room, nervously looking around. It was extremely dark and silent again -a single tatami mat lay in the middle, blankets unkept and messy. Various toy weapons and figures were strewn across the floor, evoking tsks from Mikoto as she stepped over them. "Takumi, did you hear me?" She called again, still not a hint of irritation in her calm disposition.

"I'm busy!" A boyish voice called from the corner, grunting. Oboro felt herself allow Mikoto to pull her across the room, closer towards the source of the sound. She stared silently beside the older woman as she found herself looking at the back of a small figure. The person had the messiest hair yet whitest hair she had ever seen, tucked hazardously tucked into a bun at the back of his head. The boy heaved as he tugged at a figure in his hands, pulling at an object with both his hands while using his feet to kick at the other end.

"Takumi, did you try shooting arrows again?!" Mikoto exclaimed, kneeling down behind the boy in a hurry. "What did I tell you? You almost shot Ryouma last time you were playing with them!"

"Just...a...second!" Takumi yelped, suddenly falling over on his back as the arrow was yanked out of his hands and went flying. Oboro let out a cry of surprise and fell backwards as she felt it hit above her shoulder, burrowing deep into her hair. She made small helpless noises as she attempted to get it out, small tears springing to her eyes. "I-I'm sorry!" The boy yelled, running over to her immediately and looking her over with a face full of genuine concern. "I'll get it out right away." He said, red tinging his cheeks as he tried gently untangling the arrow from her hair.

Oboro blushed, biting her lip as she stayed still obediently while the boy was worked hard at his task. Now that he was close up, she was able make out his features that had been hidden by the darkness of the room; he was tall, much taller than herself, with beautiful chatoyant amber eyes. He looked away from Oboro's hair briefly as he noticed the young girl staring at him, shooting her a mischievous grin. Oboro turned several shades brighter -she had never seen anyone as handsome as him before, and she could feel herself quickly losing her wits.

"All better." Takumi finally said, holding the arrow up triumphantly and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "That's why I keep my hair up." He said humorously, pointing to his messy updo.

"Takumi." The boy suddenly paled as Mikoto stood up behind him, a broken figure in hand. "Isn't this the present Hinoka received for her seventh birthday?" She said accusingly, giving him a hard stare.

"U-uh, no...I don't think so..." Takumi said, standing up and slowly backing away. He looked around desperately for an exit, eyes lighting up as he spotted the screen door that Mikoto hadn't closed on her way in. "Run!" He yelled, grabbing Oboro's hand and tearing out of the room with her in tow. Oboro allowed herself to be led by him mostly out of shock, not fully understanding what was happening at the moment. But then, Takumi turned his head, laughing wholeheartedly before speeding up. Oboro felt her own smile grow as she felt the wind on her sides as they ran, the two giggling to each other as they slid down wooden floors, jumped from tiled cobblestones that emerged from the midst the ponds, and hid behind colorful rhododendron bushes.

"Oh, I'm Takumi by the way." The young boy said sheepishly as they ducked behind the leaves once they could no longer stand up straight anymore. "I'm sorry about that earlier. I want to be a great archer like mother some day." He exclaimed, closing an eye and shooting from an imaginary bow at a maid who passed by them with an armload of laundry in her hands. "What's your name?" He asked, peering into the girl's eyes curiously, "You have really pretty eyes. They remind me of plums."

Oboro reddened from the compliment, directing her gaze to the ground, "O-oboro." She said quietly, playing with her hair.

"Here, let me." The young boy shifted so that he was standing behind her, untying something from his hair and dangling it in front of her face. It was a dark blue braided string, messily woven and a bit worn out. "You can have this, I made it myself." He said, using it to gently tie her hair into a similar fashion as his own. "It might look a bit strange, but it keeps your hair up!" Takumi scratched his head, smiling proudly. He pointed to himself somewhat triumphantly, "Now we match." Oboro smiled back, feeling her heart lighten for the first time that week.

* * *

 **This couple seriously needs more attention.**


	2. The Future's Open Wide

[ ELEVEN ]

"Hey, Oboro!" The young girl opened her eyes, rubbing them wearily. A pair of amber orbs stared back at her excitedly. "What should we do today?!" Takumi practically yelled in her face, still on top of her. Oboro blinked slowly, looking to her immediate right where his tatami mat usually was -the futon there was completely askew, the sheets strewn everywhere. "Ooh, let's eat first," Takumi continued happily, pulling her out of the comforts of her own blankets and leading her towards the screen door, "If we go into the kitchen now, we'll be able to take whatever we want!" He hummed to himself happily as he threw open the door.

Oboro yawned loudly, hugging herself as she shivered in the winter's morning air, "What time is it, Takumi?" She whined, missing the comforts of her makeshift bed already, "Let's go back and sleep a bit more." They had stayed up late last night, and she was hoping to sleep in until at least noon today.

Takumi pouted, grabbing her hands in his own insistently, "We can take a nap later. Come on, you like wagashi, right?" He grinned as the younger girl's eyes lit up at the term, "We'll get some, I promise!" He said earnestly. Oboro sighed, allowing herself to be led outside reluctantly. She had a soft spot for sweets and confectionery, although it wasn't like she would have let Takumi go by himself anyway.

The two ran stealthily with bare feet through the mostly empty corridors of the grand palace, giggling to themselves as they snuck past maids with piles of laundry or the guards who paced around occasionally. It was still early enough for the morning fog to provide them with some sort of concealment lest their laughter alerted others of their presence.

It hadn't taken long for them to reach their destination -in the past few years they'd known each other, they had frequently made early morning visits to the kitchen, sometimes even later when the cooks were awake to coo at and coddle them. Not that they really minded, they always left with a full bellies and more than enough to stash in Takumi's room for a late-night snack either way. Oboro had a feeling that Takumi preferred to go earlier when it was empty, however. Something about the thrill of sneaking around made it all the more funner for the two.

Takumi climbed on the kamado as soon as he entered, using the height advantage to rifle through the cupboards. He muttered to himself as he kept his hands busy, Oboro taking a seat at the table instead and laying her cheek on the surface as she tried to rest her eyes. Despite having lived in the palace for many years so far, she still felt a bit awkward sometimes. She didn't like to mess around when the adults weren't there to watch over her.

"Oh, here it is!" Oboro looked up as Takumi jumped off with a clatter, presenting her with a sweet manju in his hands, "Eat up." Oboro's mouth watered as she stared at the circular treat, but she shook her head nonetheless.

"What about you then? We should split it." She insisted, looking around for something to cut it with.

"Don't be silly, I know how much you like these. I'll find something else." Takumi said cheerfully, grabbing her hand to place the dessert in before jumping on the stove again to look for something else. "Besides, we can always come in and have the cook make some more later." Oboro smiled at him gratefully, taking a hearty bite and melting at the sweetness of it. When she was younger and lived with her parents, they hadn't had much sugary foods to spare. While great with their hands at tailoring, cooking wasn't their specialty and they hardly ate anything that was fancy or particularly difficult to make. Mostly food that had been made with the vegetables they grew in their own backyard.

Oboro sat in the wooden chair happily, kicking her feet back and forth while she ate as she watched Takumi shove various food items into a small bag he had found. He was probably going to be staying up that night -he always took an unusually large amount with him when he was preparing to. Oboro wondered what the occasion was as she chewed slowly, glancing outside and looking at the beautiful frost that had accumulated over the past few weeks. She couldn't believe another year had passed by so quickly -time seemed to speed up whenever she was with Takumi. It was December already, and next month they would be -

Oboro coughed loudly as she realized what day it was. Takumi turned around in surprise, immediately asking her if she was alright. Oboro nodded quickly, silently berating herself for forgetting about Takumi's birthday. She had to get him a gift, but it couldn't be just _anything_ -it had to be special, hand made. Something that was one-of-a-kind. He had been so wonderful to her in the past few years, making her feel just at home in the huge palace where everything was so unfamiliar. It was the least she could do in return for him.

Shoving the rest of the manju in her mouth, Oboro stood up, mind set on only one task now. "T-Takumi, I forgot something important! Let's meet up later, okay?" The boy looked at her in confusion, stopping his pilfering briefly.

"O-oh, really?" He looked a bit disappointed, but brightened up as he saw how hurried the girl looked, "Hurry up then, we'll meet in my room!" Oboro nodded, bidding him farewell and tearing out of the kitchen in pursuit of some very specific materials.

* * *

There weren't many things that Oboro was extremely confident in, but her sewing skills was one of them. Both of her parents were excellent tailors, passing down all their knowledge and skills onto her as she grew older. She wished they could see her now, with the first thing she had ever made. Oboro held up the crimson ribbon to the light as she inspected it carefully. It was simple, yes, but well-made and sturdy. She was quite proud; every bit of it had been handwoven by herself.

She still remembered the first day she met Takumi, and his gift to her. She hadn't been able to repay him yet, not in the last year or the one before -but now, she finally would. Oboro didn't know if he still remembered that he had given her his hairband, but she hoped he did, and even if he didn't she didn't mind. She was just content knowing that she'd be able to give him something so personal.

The young girl let out a little shriek as she heard the screen door open, hastily whipping the ribbon behind her with both hands. She looked up at the newcomer innocently, smiling as she saw that it was only Takumi, looking slightly out of breath and lugging around a large sack behind him triumphantly.  
"Sorry I'm late!" The boy said, plopping down beside her. "I got a ton of goodies -lots of sweets, I just know you'll love them!" He paused, glancing at her suspiciously, "So, what were you up to?"

"Aaah..." Oboro wracked her mind for an excuse, feeling slightly embarrassed about her gift now that he was actually in front of her. What if he hated it? What if he laughed at her? Maybe it wasn't as great as she had thought...It _did_ look a bit simple, after all. Perhaps it was too girly as well.

Takumi peered at her worriedly as she pondered to herself, looking greatly conflicted. He swiftly turned to look behind her back, eyes lighting up as he pulled the ribbon out of her loosened grip. " Wow, what is this?" He asked, eyes widened. "Did you find this? What's it made of? It feels incredibly soft!"

"T-that is...I made that...for you..." Oboro said shyly, blushing furiously. "I remember you gave me yours when we first met, and I know it's been a long time, but you're my best friend and I wanted to make you something special...because it's your birthday..." She trailed off, burying her face into her collar. Her face was probably so red people would have mistaken her for the back of Hinoka's head.

Takumi laughed, giving her big hug, "Thanks so much Oboro, you're the best!" He exclaimed, making the girl even more embarrassed. "I love it, you're my best friend too! And this is the greatest gift ever!" He pulled away, undoing his messy bun and sticking his tongue out in concentration as he tied his hair with the crimson ribbon. Oboro looked at him in amazement as she saw his hairstyle transform into a long pony tail with loose strands at the top. His hair had grown out quite a bit since he was younger, but he looked so different now.

"Here, I'll do yours too." Takumi said, getting up behind her to undo her bun as well. Oboro had worn hers the same way since the day she had first met him. It was one of the things that reminded her how much she cherished their friendship they had. "Your hair's kind of like mine, so we'll still match this way." He said happily, combing through her hair gently to pull it into a ponytail like his own. "There you go." He handed her a mirror, watching her excitedly as she observed her new look with wide eyes.

Her hair did match Takumi's almost exactly, even down to the loose strands at the top. She liked it a lot -she made up her mind on the spot to not change it, not ever. Well, unless Takumi did. She liked matching him. They were friends, after all.

"I love it, thank you." She whispered.

Takumi smiled, holding her hand tightly, "We'll be best friends forever, okay?"


	3. Losing What Was Found

**Not going to lie, I rushed through this because I'm really sleepy and I have classes tomorrow...**  
 **I think this is the last chapter in their past, the rest will be told in the present...I think ?**

 **I also didn't have time to read over this, will do so sometime later next week !**

* * *

[ FOURTEEN ]

"Everyone up!" Oboro was jolted awake from her barely asleep state of mind by the harsh voice of an older woman. It was funny how quickly things changed. It seemed like only yesterday she was celebrating Takumi's birthday, sharing sweet snacks underneath their blankets while sharing horror stories they had heard from the older workers in the palace.

"I said up!" The voice called out again, a small groan of protest eliciting from Oboro's mouth as she obeyed the command along with approximately thirty other females, both older and younger. She stifled a yawn as she stood perfectly still in front of her bedroll on the floor, not even daring to stretch her sore arms. How many hours had she slept? Maybe three, if she was lucky. It didn't matter either way, she stopped caring years ago.

"Get dressed, you ladies have another big day planned." The woman continued, pacing back and forth amongst the group as her sharp eyes looked them each over, "Hinoka-sama plans to ride out with a few of her friends this morning, so I expect the stables to be perfectly clean before she wakes up. Not a single piece of hay should be out of place. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, miss." The girls sighed in unison, some still with their heads bowed in exhaustion.

"Ryouma-sama's going to be sparring in the evening, so the weapon shed needs to be restocked and cleaned as well. We just got a shipment of new blades -today's the men's turn to count inventory, so you ladies better go straight to the stables until they're done." Oboro rolled her neck from side to side, mentally preparing herself for the day ahead. It was going to be tiring and boring, as always. She stopped her actions and directed her gaze straight ahead as the older woman suddenly stopped in front of her. "After you are all done with your tasks, I expect to see you in the training room. You got that?" She practically shouted in Oboro's face. The girl hoped she wasn't making her " _demonic expression_ " again -a lot of the people she sparred with had started telling her to stop frightening them with that face, but she hadn't known it existed until...rather recently, actually. It typically appeared when she was deep in thought or just fighting in general, and she'd gotten in trouble for it numerous times so far. It wasn't a surprise why she had no friends, she scared everyone she knew.

"Yes, miss!" Everyone replied back, before running to get dressed and take care of the tasks at hand.

"Stop right there." The woman said, putting a hand on Oboro's shoulder. The young girl turned around slowly, staring at the ground uncomfortably. She hoped with all her heart that she hadn't been caught up past curfew last night -she had been sneaking out to practice with the naginata nearly every day since the first few months she got sent here. No one had seemed to notice or care, and she had gotten quite proficient at wielding it.

"How may I be of assistance?" Oboro mumbled politely, shifting from side to side in anxiousness. What would they do to her? Lock her up? Could she be killed? Exiled?

"Queen Mikoto wants to see you." The woman merely said, turning away, "Get dressed and go to the main palace. Immediately." Oboro blinked in surprise. She hadn't talked to the queen in years, not since...she found out that Mikoto was the queen and Takumi, a prince. She put on her outer-clothes robotically, relying purely on memory to bring herself to her destination.

She still remembered -the day after Takumi's fourteenth birthday, she had been woken up roughly, dragged away by the arm as the boy chased after her wailing. The intruder had explained to her that many of the palace workers became disdainful seeing a commoner being so close with the prince, who was deemed old enough at that time to start acting like an adult and taking his country more into consideration.

The woman had said that because she had no family, Oboro would be raised with the rest of the children of the palace workers -and to eventually be one herself. The young girl had been devastated when she had first heard the news, wishing that it were all false. She thought she had been stupid not to notice it sooner; Takumi was always being treated with respect by the older people and fussed over for every small detail...Oboro should have put two and two together and made the connection, especially seeing that they were residing in the palace.

Oboro arrived in front of a grand set of doors, wondering whether she should knock or not. Two palace guards were on either side of the building, not even paying her any attention as they remained motionless. Oboro looked around helplessly before pushing the doors open herself and stepping in. She stood in the doorway, slightly embarrassed as she saw that Mikoto had been in the midst of conversing with one of her retainers, a scarred woman with a hair color quite similar to Oboro's own. The older woman quickly excused herself as she saw Oboro, shooting her a grin before closing the doors on her way out.

"Oboro, how good it is to see you!" Mikoto exclaimed, rushing over to her and enveloping her in a large hug. Oboro stood stiffly, not sure how to react. She hadn't seen her for years, and the last time she had, she'd been informed that she was the queen. Was she even allowed to hug the queen? Mikoto held Oboro by the shoulders, looking her over tearfully, "I'm so sorry about...everything that happened. It's just been so hard since..." Mikoto turned away, wiping her tears with a delicate fingertip.

"M-Mikoto-sama, how may I be of assistance?" Oboro asked nervously.

Mikoto smiled hesitantly, suddenly distancing herself from the girl, "Oboro." She said carefully, looking her in the eye, "I don't want you to stay here and live as a worker. It's not fitting for you -you're older now, and you're free to leave the palace, if you wish. I can help you find your relatives so that you can live with them." Oboro's head shot up. Was she being serious? She could finally leave, no more sleeping in that crowded room, no more cleaning the stables, no more...

"So..so I'll never see..." Oboro whispered to herself, knowing that she would never see Takumi ever again if she were to live outside the palace. She bit her lip, her mind swimming with ideas desperately as she tried to think of another option, an alternative. Mikoto looked at her questioningly, cracking a nervous smile as she tried to read the girl's thoughts. "Um..." Oboro looked around her with agitation, suddenly remembering the woman who had been in here earlier with the queen, "Mikoto-sama!" Oboro exclaimed loudly, "Please, is it possible for me to train as Takumi-sama's retainer?"

Mikoto's mouth dropped in surprise as she processed the younger girl's words. She brought a hand to her lips, chuckling as she saw the determination in Oboro's eyes. "Well, it _is_ true that Takumi's lacking another retainer..." She trailed off, thinking deeply. Takumi's only retainer had been Hinata, someone who served their family for generations. It was someone that he didn't have a say in, but he had refused to acknowledge all the other soldiers that had requested to serve under him thus far...and he had gotten along quite well with Oboro in the past. "I've heard that you've been training with the naginata." She said instead, eyes twinkling as she watched the girl bury her face into the collar of her kimono.

"A-ah, they knew..." Oboro muttered, wondering why she had been allowed to sneak out and train in the middle of the night anyway. "But please, let me serve Takumi-sama! I will protect him with my life." She said earnestly, holding a hand to her chest. She squeezed her eyes tightly as she awaited Mikoto's decision. This was all she wanted -if she could only have this, be selfish for once, she would never ask for anything else. She would never want again.

Mikoto gave her a tight lipped smile, walking towards the door and poking her head out. Oboro looked after her nervously as she wrung her hands behind her back. The queen returned only moments later, followed by one of the soldiers that had been standing guard in front of the room. Oboro's face dropped; was she being escorted away?

"Oboro, as dear as you are to me," Mikoto began, walking to the side of the room where various weapons were displayed, "Takumi needs someone who is strong. I can't let you be his retainer until you show me your skill." She said sternly, presenting the young girl with a naginata, her weapon of expertise.

The guard planted his own weapon on the ground, lowering his stance as he readied his position. Oboro took the naginata with trembling fingers, wrapping her hands around them familiarly as she faced her opponent determinedly. She would not lose. She couldn't.

* * *

"Takumi, may I come in?" Mikoto knocked twice at her youngest son's bedroom in warning before sliding the doors open. "Takumi, I have some good news for you." Oboro peeked out from behind the older woman hesitantly, feeling a sense of deja vu. She remembered the room -it was a lot tidier now, no more toys, snacks, or arrows strewn about. The place was incredibly clean, tatami mats gone and replaced with a grand bed and silk blankets on a raised platform.

Oboro felt her throat close up as she thought about her childhood again -she guess it wasn't possible for them to be best friends anymore. Not now, at least. She felt like a stranger inside Takumi's room; perhaps it would have been better if she just left. Oboro clenched her fists as she shook her head, forcing herself to stop doubting. She already made up her mind -she would serve Takumi until her last breath.

"Mother, how many times have I asked you not to disrupt me when I'm meditating?" Oboro bowed her head as she heard the unfamiliar voice, planting her eyes to the ground and praying that her trembling was just her imagination. She felt Mikoto place a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Who's this?" The voice sighed, sounding quite unimpressed.

"Takumi, you really must change that attitude of yours." Mikoto said pleasantly, laughter in her voice, "This is your new retainer." Oboro kept her head down, not daring to look up.

" _Her_?" The boy exclaimed, stomping over, "How old is she? Mother, I told you I don't need any retainers. After you practically forced Hinata on me, I have too much on my hands. All he wants to do is fool around." He continued, scoffing.

"She's only 14, but she defeated one of our palace guards." Mikoto said almost proudly, "Ah, I know! Why don't we have a little impromptu match? You against her. So you can see her worth." Oboro looked up for the first time, staring at Mikoto in disbelief. She hadn't asked for this! How could she dare harm Takumi? She wouldn't be able to lift a finger against him. Using the moment of silence to take a quick glance at her former friend, Oboro bent her head down again immediately as she looked into a pair of unfamiliar amber eyes.

She bit her lip as she wondered how much someone could change in just a few years -they no longer held that warmth and kindness that she had been accustomed to. And that stern mouth, it couldn't be possible to smile with those. What had happened?

Takumi sighed, walking towards the door, "Fine. I'll use whatever weapon she's best trained in." He stated, "I'll be waiting in the courtyard. I don't want to make a scene, so make sure no one else is there."

"Yes, dear!" Mikoto called out happily after him, shooting a grin at Oboro, "You'll do great, I just know it."

* * *

Oboro held a naginata in her hands for the second time that day, though this time she couldn't stop her hands from shaking. Had Takumi really forgotten her just like that? Was their friendship nothing to him? She guessed it was too be expected -she was just a commoner after all, and he a prince. It was foolish of her to wish to keep holding onto him like she did when they were children.

Nevertheless, he had been her best friend, the person who saved her when she first lost her parents. She owed him her life; and no matter what Takumi thought of her, she still cherished him. Oboro tightened her grip, looking for an opening. She had never seen Takumi fight before; she had heard that he was talented in archery, which was too be expected, but wasn't sure how he fared with a lance.

They were the only two in the courtyard, Mikoto leaving after her son requested her to do so once the place was cleared. Perhaps he didn't want any interference, but Oboro was a bit nervous to be alone with him. She eyed his weapon carefully, knowing that she would be too distracted if she did anything else.

The blade lifted from the air as Takumi suddenly struck, Oboro blocking the attack with ease. They exchanged blows for a few minutes until she grew a bit agitated as she noticed how half-hearted he seemed to be -perhaps he didn't take her seriously after all. She took a deep breath, preparing herself to attack. She could disarm him, it would be easy. He wasn't even holding his naginata correctly.

With a shout, Oboro lunged for him, hooking the blade of her weapon easily between the prince and his own and viciously tugging at it to swing it away. Except instead of Takumi loosening his grip and letting it go as Oboro had expected him to, he stubbornly held on, the younger girl's eyes widening in surprise as Takumi went flying into her with his weapon still in tow.

Oboro started panicking as she realized that the prince was about to fall on her, her mind working fast as she tried to jump backwards, only to find that it wasn't possible since their weapons were still interlocked; she let out a small shriek as Takumi came crashing down on her, their heads knocking together painfully. There was no way he would respect her to be his retainer after this; she was glad that no one had watched, at least.

Oboro bit her lip as she felt the blade of Takumi's weapon cut into her shoulder as he landed on it, pressing it harder against her and drawing blood -perhaps they should have used wooden poles after all. She groaned in pain, trying to push the heavier boy off of her with her one good arm.

"O-Oboro!" Her eyes fluttered open in surprise as she saw a pair of gentle, concerned eyes look back at her, "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

"Yeah...Please don't worry about me..." Oboro said quietly, squinting her eyes as she noticed something crimson in the boy's hair. She vaguely wondered if Mikoto had ever mentioned her name to Takumi before she blacked out.

* * *

Oboro grunted as she sat up, holding a hand to her head painfully. Why did it hurt so much? She pressed on it lightly, feeling a burning pain on the tender skin. She most definitely had a bruise there. She touched her right shoulder next, the other place that hurt. It had been bandaged up and was even more sore than her head. What had happened?

She looked around, not finding the place familiar at all. She ripped the sheets off of her reluctantly, forcing herself onto her feet and feeling around blindly in the dark room for a door. She patted the wall as she moved around the room, finally finding a crack and pulling it open. Oboro blinked in surprise as she was met by the brightness of the moon -what time was it?

She walked outside silently, padding around on bare feet as she looked for anyone who would be able to tell her where she was. She was still the palace, at least, so it didn't seem anything that bad had happened...but why wasn't she with all the other workers? She had been by herself in that room, as far as she could tell. Oboro shivered, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Oooh..." She turned around, suddenly alert as fear struck her. It seemed to be someone shouting, but it was too muffled to tell what they were saying. "OOoh...oo...!" It was coming from the room where Oboro had left -had she not been alone after all? She crept towards the sound as it continued, curiosity trumping over fear for the moment as her feet brought her closer towards her destination.

" _OBORO_!" The girl winced in pain as someone grabbed her roughly by the shoulders, screaming her name in her face. "You're awake!" She blinked slowly in the mist of the night, not sure who she was talking to. Everything looked too white -was she perhaps conversing with the mist now? She must have lost her mind, that was the only logical explanation for it all. Oboro reached a cautious hand out, surprised when she made contact with the whiteness and felt something soft.

She was doubly surprised as the shape moved, grabbing her hand and looking into her eyes frantically. Oboro felt her life leave her as she realized who it was. She just grabbed Takumi's hair. The prince. That alone probably issued enough warrant for the death penalty. All memories of the earlier day suddenly flew back to her as she looked into his amber eyes, her face reddening as she recalled what had occurred, "T-Takumi...sama!" She said awkwardly, "Um...please," She stared at him with a newly found vigor, "Please let me be your retainer!"

The prince scoffed, rolling his eyes as she looked pleadingly at him, before cracking a small smile, "I guess...I'll be in your care from now on then."

* * *

 **I got the Takumi Oboro "fighting scene" from a Japanese fanfic I read of them, I think? It was a while ago, so I can't remember to clearly ~  
but yeah, not so great at combat stuff so glossed over those bits.**


	4. Reflection of a Lie

**Let's play the name guessing game...!**

* * *

[ FOURTEEN/FIFTEEN ]

"Alright, let's stop for today." Oboro frowned as her companion spoke, reluctantly lowering her naginata. It was beginning to get dark already, sure; but that was no excuse to cut training short.

"How about another round?" The lancer asked, swinging the tip of her weapon's blade so that it pointed towards a certain brown haired samurai. The older boy sighed, pushing it away forcefully.

"Nah, I'm tired. Besides, we've gotten in more than enough practice already."

Oboro smirked, putting her naginata down as she turned away, stretching her arms leisurely, "Aah, I guess that's expected of Takumi-sama's lesser retainer. Don't worry, I don't blame you for not being able to keep up with me." She grinned to herself, ignoring the sounds of protests behind her as she hurried to find her lord.

Time seemed to go by quickly whenever she sparred -though it was only in these moments she wouldn't be able to keep tabs on Takumi, it was satisfying knowing that she was getting stronger. Oboro mentally counted her victories against Hinata as her feet took her swiftly towards her destination; by the time she arrived in front of Takumi's room, she had determined that she had won more battles against Hinata for the week, at least. Perhaps she would treat herself to something special -like that floral roll of fabric she had seen while passing by the market the other day.

Oboro knocked urgently at the door as she awaited for her lord to answer. Though she knew it was more than safe inside the castle, she still worried something bad could have happened to Takumi if she weren't there to watch over him. She let out a small sigh of relief as she heard his voice call for her to let herself in.

The navy-haired girl stepped in carefully, still feeling waves of bittersweet nostalgia as she made her way to the center of the room, glancing around as though half expecting to see some of the figures or weapons they had played with together as children. She quickly shook her head as she dispersed of those thoughts, however -they had both grown up, and Oboro still wasn't sure whether Takumi had remembered her. She was a bit happy he still wore the ribbon she had given him, though.

"Finished training for today?" The white-haired prince asked her, eyes glued to the desk full of paperwork in front of him. Oboro couldn't possibly have guessed what it was for, but the source was most likely Ryouma. The eldest Hoshidan brother had been helping Mikoto run their country for a while now, splitting up work amongst all of them, even Sakura, who more or less didn't like the idea of being left out.

"Yep!" Oboro said cheerfully, eyes scanning over her lord to check for any signs of hunger or weariness. "Do you need any help?" She asked, walking forward hesitantly.

"No, that's fine." Takumi replied with a sigh, rubbing his eyes as he continued scrawling at the paper in front of him, "Though I have to say...I'm surprised Hinata trained with you this long today."

Oboro grinned, shaking her head, "Nah, today's session was shorter than usual." Half an hour shorter, actually. But they had started later, which was unusual...though nearly everyone in the army knew how lazy Hinata could be at times, despite being a more than capable retainer. It had taken Oboro many glares to convince the samurai to fight with her today. "Have you eaten yet?" She continued, hoping there was at least something she could do to help. Otherwise, she'd have to leave again.

Takumi opened his mouth to politely decline, before stopping himself mid-action upon seeing the hopeful look on his retainer's face, "Actually, I could use some food." He said reluctantly with a small laugh, "Anything from the kitchen would be great."

"Right away, Takumi-sama!" Oboro said happily, rushing out without another word. She knew exactly what she could get him -no, what she would make him. Oboro spent a lot of time around the other workers, especially at night when she couldn't sleep; she did anything from helping them cook to cleaning and taking inventory. Because of this, she frequently conversed with them, hearing little tidbits of gossip and whatnot. But more importantly, she knew what Takumi's favorite food was.

"Why if it isn't Oboro! How good it is to see you." Oboro opened the kitchen door to be greeted by a friendly cook, Katsuragi, one she had known back when she and Takumi would steal snacks together. "What's the occasion today?"

"Nothing much, I'm going to whip something up for Takumi-sama." Oboro said confidently, undoing her hair from its usual high ponytail to something that was lower and looser now that she was done training.

"You're so sweet." The cook continued, grabbing a container of some sort of condiment from the cupboard before sprinkling it into the saucepan. "That boy's a fool for not appreciating you more." She said with a huff, moving the pan back and forth as it became engulfed in a blazing flame.

Oboro laughed humorously, gathering various ingredients as she prepared her station across from the older woman's, "Takumi-sama's plenty nice to me, auntie." She said happily, running over to the water pump to fill a pot of water. The cook had remembered Oboro as a child, and was more than surprised when she heard that Takumi didn't. Nevertheless, Katsuragi was always kind to Oboro, who rather enjoyed her company on her days off.

"Oh, that reminds me -how's your latest project going?"

Oboro beamed as she cut into a block of tofu, happy that she had asked, "It's going very well!" She started excitedly, "I finally the perfect fabric for the obi -I finished the collar last night, so that's the only part left." Whenever she had the spare time, Oboro made kimonos and other various articles of clothing. While she usually kept a few of her favorites, she also made them for the other workers.

"You have a natural talent for tailoring, girl." Katsuragi said, patting her head as she reached over her to grab another spice from the cupboard on her side, "And cooking as well." She added as she took a whiff of what Oboro had been preparing, "Whoever marries you will be a lucky man."  
Oboro chuckled as she tossed dried seaweed into the boiling pot. "You are too silly, auntie." However, even as she said those words, she felt a tinge of regret deep inside her -she didn't think she would ever be able to marry. "Here, have a taste." She quickly said, spooning a bit of her soup for the cook. "How is it?"  
Katsuragi's eyes lit up as she drank it, giving her an enthusiastic nod, "That's the one. It's perfect."

"Great! I'm going to take it to Takumi-sama then." Oboro grabbed the largest bowl she could find, using the ladle to put in a generous serving before carrying it on a tray and walking carefully towards her destination.

Balancing the dish on one hand, she knocked at the prince's door somewhat impatiently, mentally berating herself for worrying that he could be abducted -she had to rid herself of those thoughts, but after she'd heard what happened to his older sister...anything was possible. Those Nohrians were unforgiveable, after all.

"Come in!" Takumi called from inside, sounding far more muffled than he did a moment again. Oboro stifled a grin as she stepped in to be greeted by more mounds of paperwork -Ryouma had definitely stopped by while she was gone to drop of more work. It looked as though her prince would not be getting much sleep tonight.

Oboro held the bowl carefully as she waited for Takumi to hastily clear away a space, before setting it down in front of him somewhat proudly. She couldn't help but stare at him as he spooned through the substance, eyes lighting up as he saw what it was.

"This is miso soup, isn't it?!" He exclaimed with childish excitement, paperwork forgotten for the moment. The lancer nodded eagerly as she held the serving plate against her chest. "This is really good," Takumi continued, spooning the soup with an alarming speed into his mouth, "I mean really good. Give Katsuragi my thanks, alright?"

"A-ah...I'll be sure to do that." Oboro said, biting her lip. It would probably be better for both of them if that's what he thought -she didn't want him to get any ideas about how she felt about him lest it strain their relationship, but she couldn't help the bitter taste that rose to her mouth.

Oboro was so absorbed in her thoughts and disappointment she hadn't even noticed Takumi pause in his eating to get up and rummage through a drawer located behind him. She only snapped back to reality as she found him in front of her, hastily bandaging a burn she hadn't even noticed on her finger.

"You made that, didn't you." Takumi said, giving her a small smile. "Thank you for your troubles, and be a bit more careful next time, alright?" Oboro nodded mutely, a combination of shock and happiness keeping her mouth shut. "You should get some rest now," The prince said, returning to his desk, "And don't tell Katsuragi this, but you're a better cook than her." He mumbled under his breath, but loudly enough for Oboro to beam with pride.

Without even thinking twice, she obeyed her orders and left the room, though not quite ready to retire for the night yet. She followed her feet back into the kitchen, where she gave Katsuragi a broad smile when the older woman welcomed her in.

The cook pointed at the pot full of leftover miso soup eagerly, "Do you mind if I take some to Yuugiri? She just got back with the expedition team and told that she was positively dying of hunger." Oboro happily consented -she had briefly seen the golden kite warrior tending to her pheonix in the inner palace gardens on her way back; and despite never having spoken to the woman before, she knew her quite well. They both had the same unique shade of hair color, after all.  
Katsuragi, despite being Yuugiri's older sister, did not share the trait and instead had the darkest black hair that shone blue prettily underneath the moonlight. They had grown up inside the palace together, both as good friends of Mikoto's; Katsuragi was older and as gentle as their ruler, choosing to serve her through cooking and working without having to participate in the war. Yuugiri, on the other hand, was hot-headed and always eager to pick a fight.

Despite the many scars that peppered the woman's body due to such silly and petty altercations, Yuugiri always kept her face clean and flawless, priding herself in being both beautiful and strong for their queen. Katsuragi had once told Oboro that their parents had always chided Yuugiri for not being more feminine despite her beauty, and the younger sister enjoyed frustrating the two by continuing to battle while maintaining her physical appearance.

Oboro stared back down at the pot that was still nearly half full as the cook ran out with a hearty bowl. It would definitely be a waste to dump it all -having come from a family that wasn't particularly wealthy, she wouldn't allow herself to simply throw away something perfectly edible as the soup she had made. However, Oboro didn't have any friends in the army other than perhaps Hinata, and it would be awkward for her to just randomly offer it to any of the soldiers.  
She sighed as she rested on her elbows, waiting for the cook to return so that she could ask the older woman to offer it to the others. Oboro stared at the pot with narrowed eyes, as though willing it to disappear along with her problems. She concentrated so hard on her meaningless task that she jumped as the screen door suddenly slid open with a loud smack, revealing a disheveled looking dark flier.

"'Suragi~" The girl yelled, eyes scanning the room. She smiled as she spotted the lancer, abandoning her weapon to the floor as she took a seat beside her. "Hey Obo!" She practically yelled, holding her face in her hands as she stared deeply at the younger girl quite unnervingly.

Oboro gave her a hesitant smile that probably looked more like a grimace -she knew who this person was, but they hadn't ever had a real conversation before. Sendai was one of the older teens who got to fight in the army, and also happened to be one of the more popular girls amongst the other soldiers. She was friendly, strong, pretty, and kind -even older women looked up to her; Frankly, Oboro was a bit surprised she even knew her name.

"Can I help you?" She asked nervously, too worried to even look away. She was suspicious, alright. However, Sendai simply smiled brightly, grasping her hands tightly.

"I just got back from recon with Yuugiri -night recon, it's really the best!" She exclaimed, eyes practically shooting with stars. "Oh it's the greatest, riding on my dark pegasus, hidden amongst the night skies...what could possibly be better?" She practically swooned, holding a hand to her forehead dramatically. "That's right!" Sendai suddenly exclaimed, slamming her hands on the table, "I was putting my pegasus in the stables when I was lured here by this promising smell." She said excitedly now that she remembered the task at hand, looking side to side eagerly. "Whatever it is, I want some!"

"Oh...oh! Of course!" Oboro said as realization dawned upon her. Perhaps if Sendai liked the soup, she would take it to the other soldiers instead. "Help yourself." She said, pointing to the pot. The dark haired girl gave a loud squeal before she ran over to the pot, clapping her hands childishly.

Oboro bit back a smile -she had expected the girl to be a little more composed, from all the stories she had heard about her. However, the rumors did say that she always had an incredible amount of energy at night.

"Hey, you know who would love this?" Sendai said, dipping the ladle in the pot for another drink, "My cousin; he loves anything healthy and delicious -which this is both, by the way." She laughed, sitting beside Oboro again. "Ooh I should tell you about my cousin. That pretty-boy pegasus rider. 'Baki."

"Baki?" Oboro repeated, not recognizing the name.

Sendai nodded vigorously. "Yeah, I call him 'Baki, cause he was really clumsy when we were children -he begged me to let him ride on my pegasus once, so I let him -and you know what happened," Sendai looked downwards a bit sheepishly, "My pegasus kicked him right off and he hurt his arm...'baki', like that..." She trailed off, looking into the distance as her face grew serious, "He hasn't been the same since...we don't really talk anymore."

Oboro shifted awkwardly, not sure what to say in the situation, "I'm...sorry to hear that..." She mumbled, patting her stiffly on the back.

Sendai smiled back at her, "You're a really good person." She declared, tucking the pot underneath her arm. "I'm taking this to him then! Maybe I'll get the courage to actually have a conversation with him this time, haha." She used her free hand to pick up her lance on the floor, tucking it into a strap around her waist before turning around one last time, "When you get older...when you're...like me." She paused as she struggled with her words, looking upwards at the sky as searching for an answer, "Don't be so hesitant like me. If you have something to say to someone, just say it!" Sendai declared, before tearing off into the darkness.

Oboro hadn't spoken to her again after that night, and after a few months, neither had the rest of the army been able to.

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 **It's really late so I get kind of ramble-y at the end...**  
 **this is partially build-up for what happens later.**

 **Also ty for all the reviews / follows and whatnot !**


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